Andaman's Mangrove canopy walk to woo tourists

Port Blair, Oct 23 (UNI) The Andaman and Nicobar Forest department has inaugurated a 240 metre long mangrove canopy walk at the Baratang Islands in Middle Andaman to attract more tourists.

Official sources said here today that the canopy walk, the first of its kind in these islands, is a long wooden structure, about one to two meters high and passes through thick mangrove forests on each side.

''We have also placed display boards along the walk which serves as an open mangrove interpretation centre. It also provides detailed information about mangrove forests and its importance in protection and conservation of the coastal areas,'' a forest official told UNI.

Meanwhile, the Association of Tour Operators in Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ATOANI) also welcomed the move.

''We expect more such initiatives from every department and a combined effort by all will definitely boost the tourism industry in these remote islands,'' ATOANI president M Vinod said.

The Baratang Islands are famous for Mud Volcano and Lime Caves, which attract hundreds of tourists everyday.

Tourism is one of the major industries of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a group of 572 small and big islands.